• 8 Texas Republicans vote against Superstorm Sandy relief (Houston Chronicle): "Texas Republicans were divided over providing $9 billion in federal aid to the victims of Superstorm Sandy, with 8 of the state’s 24 GOP House members voting no. The emergency measure — pulled from consideration on New Year’s Night by House Speaker John Boehner, was approved on a bipartisan vote of 354 to 67. It took Congress more than two months to help the hard-hit states of New Jsersey, New York and Connecticut — far longer than it took lawmakers to respond to previous storms such as Katrina."

• Joaquin Castro elected president of frosh Democratic class (San Antonio Express-News): "San Antonio Rep. Joaquin Castro was elected by his peers Friday to serve as president of the freshman class of Democrats in the 113th Congress. The honor was bestowed upon the San Antonio lawmaker as freshmen received their committee assignments for the upcoming legislative session."

• GOP scrambles to fix its primary problem (Politico): "The disastrous 2012 election and embarrassing fiscal cliff standoff has brought forth one principal conclusion from establishment Republicans: They have a primary problem. … In an interview in the Capitol, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the NRSC chairman in the past two elections and now the Senate’s second-ranking Republican, said, 'I think you’re going to see more people involved in primaries,' right as he rounded a corner and nearly ran into Crossroads CEO Steven Law."

• Will New Year Bring New University to the Valley?: "There is a significant amount of excitement in the Rio Grande Valley about a proposal to combine the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas-Pan American into a new university that would also have a planned medical school."

• Clearing Texas Rape Kit Backlog Will Cost Millions: "It could cost Texas up to $11 million to clear the backlog of some 20,000 untested rape kits in police agencies statewide. If Congress doesn't come through with funding, lawmakers here in Texas will search for funds to help solve the crimes."

• Once Again, Legislating Will Interrupt Politicking: "The elections never seem to stop. Neither does the electioneering. In Texas, it feels like there's a two-year political season, interrupted by five months of fierce legislating — a bit of which has as much to do with politics and elections as with governing the state."

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